Will there be another lockdown in Assam? Himanta Biswa Sarma clarifies

GUWAHATI: Assam's state government has no plans to impose another lockdown in view of the second surge of COVID-19, clarified the health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

"Till now, we have not decided to impose any restrictions. We celebrated Durga Puja even when there were 3,500 cases. Now we only have a mere 500. We will only take decisions if the situation turns dire. Else, the new government will take the call," he told media persons during an address earlier, adding that he "does not want to stir up another controversy."

Sarma further informed that people coming from other states have to mandatorily get tested for the COVID-19 virus in the state. Now, COVID-19 negative certificates attained in other states shall not suffice.

"The UK variant of the COVID spreads faster, is lighter, and stays in the air for a longer time -- therefore, I feel that one who has come from outside should not mix too much with family members until a negative RT-PCR test is declared," said Sarma, adding that the new strain could push the health machinery to its edge and therefore, it is preparing itself by ensuring the availability of oxygen, beds, Remdesivir, etc.

"Since the UK variant stays in the air, it spreads quickly. Therefore, we should maintain a distance with people coming from other states," he advised.

Sarma said that the virus has shown a resurgence of sorts from April 3 onwards. "However, at no point in time has the COVID-19 been completely eradicated since it was first reported in Assam," the minister went on to clarify.

Asked if the election rallies held by the political parties could have led to a rapid spread of the contagion, Sarma said, "There is no evidence to suggest that as COVID outbreaks have not been reported in places where the election rallies were held (....) The cases have only been reported in industrial centers or trading centers. The cases have only been reported in the towns in Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, and Jorhat."

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Sarma said that Assam does not have a 'single indigenous case of the virus' and the people coming from other states have brought newer variants to Assam. "COVID-19 is only there where there are airports and railway stations. Air passengers and train passengers are the only ones bringing COVID-19 and they have transmitted it to their kin," he said.

Biswa Sarma also divulged that the double mutant variant of COVID-19 has not been detected in Assam even though the ICMR's unit in Lahowal, Dibrugarh is closely monitoring the incoming strains. "However, the state has reported cases of the UK variant," he said.

Although coronavirus cases are rising in Assam but officials involved in the management of the pandemic in the state have ruled out the possibility of a lockdown to contain its spread.

At the same time, several other regions in India (such as the national capital New Delhi) have resorted to lockdowns in a bid to arrest the spread of the coronavirus.

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